Welcome to Vietnam, Macho Man: Reflections of Akhe Sanhvet

by Ernest Spencer

Vietnam war Memoir

Genres: War, Military Fiction, Memoir, Nonfiction

174 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Ernest Spencer is a Hawaiian born Korean American. Born in the mid 1940’s, he joined the Marine Corps Reserve in 1963.
During his second year in college, where he was studying philosophy, he “was overwhelmed by the futility of reason as an effective force in life.” Disillusioned by reason, his life did not make sense to him. He was drawn to the Marine Corps by the sense of belonging. The Corps also offered him the chance to confront life rather than read about it. Spencer states, “I could confront life by going to the edge, or at least what I perceived as the edge: Existence itself.”
In 1967, he was sent to lead a line unit (an infantry unit) that is at Khe Sanh, the 1st Battalion, 26th Marine Regiment. There were four rifle companies in this infantry battalion: Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, and Delta. Spencer commanded Delta. He recalls “you have got to understand what it means to a 24-year-old guy who’s macho to be made a commanding officer of a rifle company in combat. He is Jesus Christ himself.” He was also the first Korean American to command a marine rifle company in combat.
Since his time in Vietnam, Spencer founded a publishing company.
Now, while enjoying retirement, he has founded a non-profit to support education in his beloved Hawaii. He is self-narrating his books for the audio book market and working on additional novels related to his life experiences.
And keeping his softball skills up!

Reviews

[Michael Burnam-Fink · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spencer dodges the standard pitying narratives of the Vietnam War to deliver a blast of raw, profane, USMC machismo. Always a tough kid, Spencer moved from Hawaii into the Marines, where he learned the basics of command before being sent to Vietnam in late spring, 1967. The battered Marine units up along the DMZ desperately needed officers, and First Lieutenant Spencer got command of a company, usually a captain's slot.

The book is a series of brief essays, roughly organized by topic and chronology. The main topic is toughness, the bone-deep endurance that it takes for a man to suffer danger, abuse, and pain, and then spit in the face of death. Macho is six months of combat patrols, going to an Air Force club on leave, and getting blackout drunk. Macho is macabre jokes as friends die. Macho is humping through miles of triple canopy jungle. Macho is running towards the sounds of the guns. Real Marines are macho. Charlie is an enemy to be respected. And the doggies in the Army (not my Army!) can go to hell. Second only to macho in Spencer's world is pussy. Unloading an M-16 on full auto in a close ambush-pussy. Well-worn jungle boots-pussy. R&R in Bangkok-yeah, you better believe that pussy.

Spencer's memoir walks through battles around Hill 881 South, and then the Siege of Khe Sanh, where he was evacuated and hospitalized for Tropical Fevers of Unknown Origin, and then search and destroy along the coast. Spencer is one of the few who thrive in combat, and this book captures what a gung ho Marine circa 1967 would have thought about his war.

[Kek-w Kek-w · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book on the Vietnam War I have ever read.

Spencer is a born writer. His prose is taut, a masterclass. His reflections on war and soldiers and his own psyche are deeply moving.

Highest possible recommendation.

[Tom N · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read. His writing style makes it seems as if you were right there next to him during every scenario.

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gotta say this was one fun book to read about such a dreadful subject. Not much on technicality the book or more appropriately, a memoir of a marine lieutenant turn Captain as he recounts his tour in Vietnam, his experiences and most of all his feelings while taking part in that war. A play on psychology, our marine has laid out a philosophy that would get him out of alive both physically and mentally and the result is this really engrossing, fun and macho book to read.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good example of don't judge a book by its cover, or its first chapter. I was about to put this book down because of all the gratuitous foul and vulgar language early in the book. But as I persevered I found a well written, engaging story of a Marine at war. Good insight into daily life in Vietnam.
So if you don't mind the language, at times, this book is a gem worth reading.